Webster's English Dictionary

Enter the word to look up:

debacle

de.ba.cle \di-'ba:k-*l, -'bak-\ n [F de`ba^cle, fr. de`ba^cler to unbar, 
   fr. MF desbacler,]fr. des- de- + bacler to bar, fr. OProv baclar, fr. 
   (assumed) VL bacculare, fr. L baculum staff - more at BACTERIUM 1: a 
   tumultuous breakup of ice in a river  2: a violent disruption (as of an 
   army) : ROUT  3: BREAKDOWN, COLLAPSE